Samaipata and las Cuevas

Samaipata

Samaipata is a beautiful village, 120 KM from Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the foot hills of Andes Mountain range. The village has a pleasant weather so it had turned out a Retirement Location. Many peoples from different nationalities have settled there after retirement.

How to Arrive:

Shared taxi service is available from Santa Cruz to Samaipata. The Bus Stop is near Primero Anillo, Calle Irala. Shared taxi wait for passengers and leave for Samaipata as there are sufficient passengers. Charges per passenger were 30 Bs (in 2014). Taxi stop mid way in a small town where people sell fresh fruits. It was December month,  we bought delicious and sweet Mangoes and Achachairus. Local peoples told me that Achachairus are very local and found in Santa Cruz only. Taxi take 2-3 hours to reach Bus Stop in Samaipata.

What to Do: 

There are many places nearby Samaipata to Visit. One of them is famous archaeological site of "El Fuerte de Samaipata". El Fuerte de Samaipata is a large carved rock , which was a ancient temple. We hired a cab to reach the ancient Rock temple. It takes 30 minutes to reach to "El  Fuerte de Samaipata". We met two Argentinean tourist who planned to visit the same place so together we paid 30 Bs per person to Cab owner. He took us to Ruins and waited there for two hours and brought us back after we had completed the walking round up of "El Fuerte de Samaipata" rock.

El fuerte is on top of a mountain. We could see all around the place, the beautiful green forests of Andes Mountains surrounded by white clouds, presented a amazing view.

Info and History for Samaipata

Top Surface of Samaipata

Right Side Surface of Samaipata

                                                                                 Andes Mountains: a click from Samaipata
Andes Mountains: a click from Samaipata

Andes Mountains: a click from Samaipata

Andes Mountains: a click from Samaipata

While returning back from Samaipata towards Santa cruz, there are Las Cuevas. Las Cuevas is a pleasant water fall. It is a small but beautiful place.

Me at las Cuevas

There is also a Museum in City. Museum houses ancients things found in the city related to history of "El fuerte de Samaipata"

Food:

We found a Vegetarian food place " Suma Pacha" in the city. It was in the opposite direction of city's main square.We walked straight from the Museum in the direction of main square and saw a bill board for Vegetarian food place. Restaurant was housed in a home, a family served the visitors as and when they arrived. They took orders from us and cooked the food so it took a little time to serve. They have built a place on fist floor of house where we set down, took rest, had food and then left for las Cuevas.

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca: Titicaca is highest navigable lake in the world at 3812 meters altitude. It is between the border of Peru and Bolivia. I felt like sea like feeling after reaching to Titicaca. The green landscape, clean water of lake and fresh air are qualities of this exotic location. I was amazed by the beautiful picturesque place. Tour companies recommended a two day tour with a night stay. I decided to return the same day. Copacabana is a small town, three hours journey from La Paz.If someone want to see beauty of night in Copacabana at the bank of Titicaca, then it is a worth to stay there.

How to Arrive from Bolivia: Bus leave from La Paz Bus Terminal in Morning for Capacabana. Bus fare for to and fro journey was 70 BOB in December 2014. Bus left at 8:30 AM in the morning to reach there at 12:30 PM. We wandered in the city downtown for some time and later left for Isla del Sol. Isla del Sol is a small island about 45 minutes boat ride from Copacabana. Ferry charged 30 BOB per person for to and fro journey.There are archaeological ruins at island and travelers can choose to do a  hour long walk to ruins or can take a ride by boat. Boat returns after staying there for almost a hour. After returning to Copacabana, we had some time left to see the city and later we took a bus for La Paz at 6:30 PM.

My Collection of Photos at Titicaca

Panorama at San Pedro de Tiquina

 

A Isla near Isla del Sol

Isla del Sol

Tiwanaku

Tiwanaku: Tiwanaku was seat of power for a Pre Columbian kingdom. It is a archaeological site that has ruins and monuments of old civilization. Oath Ceremonies of president Evo Morales had been held here since he took over since 2006.

How to arrive: We reached to Tiwanaku from La Paz City. There are tourist buses as well as public Buses from Ceja, El Alto. It took two hours from El Alto to reach Tiwanaku. Tourist bus fare was 70 BOB in December 2014. Entry fee to enter Tiwanaku Museum was 80 BOB per person.

Panorama at Tiwanaku: Landscape is Beautiful

Ruins at Tiwanaku

Ruins at Tiwanaku

Ruins at Tiwanaku

Wandering llamas at Tiwanaku

It is  a beautiful place to visit. Clicking photos was not allowed inside the museum. The museum had had many ancient monuments of civilization. 

La Paz Diary

City Experience:

La Paz is highest Altitude Capital of world. City is divided in "El Alto" and "La Paz". El Alto is on flat top of Andes mountains at 4000 meters altitude and largest city of indigenous native Americans in the world. Population of El Alto is  1 million and growing.

La Paz is on mountain slopes and in the valleys. My Canadian friend described La Paz a "hole". Many questions came in my mind when I first landed on El Alto Airport. Major, big and old cities of world were built on river or sea fronts so how come a big City like La Paz sustained itself on such a high altitude? How water requirements of large population are fulfilled? No large scale vegetation is possible  here so where does the food come from?

Living in city provided all the answers. People eat a lot of meat so vegetable is not that a necessity. City grew recently after modern means of transportation became available so  food was transported from planes. Water is provided from the numerous small rivers flowing in city, source of water is from the snow clad mountains of Andes. Rains are frequent, so pure and clean water is abundant in the city. Electricity network was good that provided enough means to keep the home warm.

My work requirements kept me travelling between La Paz and Santa Cruz frequently. Every time I landed in La Paz; altitude sickness bothered me for first day in city. Coca leaves are easily available, locals can be seen chewing them and it helps to maintain energy level in Andes heights. I liked coca tea though, the small tea bags of coca tea can be bought from grocery stores. Coca leaves makes life easy at high altitudes but still it is in UN's list of prohibited plant.

City Tour:

I boarded the City Tour bus from plaza Isabela de Catolica. There are two routes for Bus. One is Central City route and other is Zona Sur/Valle de la Luna tour. Each cost 60 BOB per person. Bus halts at one location for 10 minutes.

 Valle de la LunaValle de Luna Mountains:Stone at valle de la luna provide evidence that all this place was submersed under water for long time in history

Bridges in City of La PazLa Paz: The City in the valley have three such bridges connecting one end to another

Central bank of Bolivia Building:

Bolivian Parliament at Plaza Murillo:

Ropeway Transport System in La Paz:

Linea Verde de Teleferico

Monument at Parado:

Monument of war at Parado

Statue of Cristoforo Colombo at Parado

Themis Painting on a wall at Parado

Zona Sur:

A Click at Zona Sue en La Paz

A Click at Zona Sue en La Paz

Feria 16 de Julio: It is name of Sunday market in El Alto of city. It is a big market in streets in El Alto. Prices at this market are much cheaper than general shops in city. Cars, Clothes, Electronics almost all things can be bought in this market, but is is always suggested to keep alert and be vigilant in El Alto.

 Mountain Illimani as seen from El Alto

La Paz City (Snow Clad Mountain Range in Back)

Llama and Alpaca in Feria 16 de Julio (They were for photos only)

Beautiful La Paz city as seen from El Alto

Chacaltaya

Chacaltaya Tour: Chacaltaya is a mountain summit near La Paz at a height of 5421 meters.  Mountain used to be snow clad for whole year but global warming have changed it. I felt lucky to find snow on mountain.

How to Reach:  Chakaltaya tour is coupled with Valle de la Luna tour. Buses can be booked from the tour operators in City. Bus leaves in morning and ride takes an hour and half to reach mountain. They stay there for few hours and come back afternoon at 2:00 PM and leave for Valle de la Luna. Tour finishes at 4:00-5:00 PM at Parado.

A panorama taken on the way to Chacaltaya

Chacaltaya Mountain

A view from Chacaltaya: I did not have enough energy to walk a bit more to click a view on other side of mountain

Feria de las Alasita

"Alasita" is a fair of Indigenous peoples celebrated every year in January-February. It honors Aymara god of abundance "Ekeko". The location of fair is near parque urbano in downtown La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.

Month long fair is famous for its miniature items. It is said that whatever miniature item we buy from this fair; we are supposed to get the same thing in that year. If  we know that someone is pursuing a dream to achieve something, we can gift the miniature of same thing as good luck from god "Ekeko". Alasita is widely recognized by all peoples of  Bolivia. In the month long duration; there was large crowd of peoples who were buying the miniature of their pursuit.

There are numerous varieties of miniatures. There are currencies like Bolivian BOB, US Dollars, Euros etc. Other miniature are of  houses, computers, brick, construction material, baby, cars, university diploma certificates, visa of different countries, passport of different countries, cell phones, Credit Cards, Boarding pass, etc. Girls pursuing for a boy friend buy miniature of rooster.

I saw the peoples buying US passport and Visa in the fair. I liked the concept of market and bought miniature of a brick, house and currencies. 

Lomas de Arena

Tour of "Lomas de Arena" at Santa Cruz de la Sierra-Bolivia

The lush green landscape of Santa Cruz have some beautiful Sand dunes. These Sand dunes which care called "Lomas de Arena" in Spanish are beautiful and picturesque places near the Santa Cruz.

There is a lagoon of water near the lomas which adds in the beauty of place.

Reaching to these dunes is bit complicated. The best way is to hire a 4x4 vehicle for duration of trip which will transport in vicinity of Lomas. Other options are Public Bus and private Taxi. Public Bus number 21 can be taken from City  and their last station is outside the park which is 7 km from the Lomas. It is very tiring to walk 7 km in the lonely landscape. If you are lucky enough then you can get the Transporting trucks of nearby resorts. Private Taxi reached half the distance of 3.5 km till the river; rest of the distance is covered by walking. 4x4 vehicle can cross the river and reach till the lomas.

If you decide to take the journey then take precaution by taking water bottles and mosquito repellents. Check the weather before journey; rainy and windy both are bad. Lomas de Arenas are beautiful and worth visitng in Santa Cruz.

Panaroma is beautiful at Lomas de Arena